Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Well, at my age, I certainly hope not to have any teeth fall out to leave for the Tooth Fairy, but I well remember leaving my tooth under my pillow, eagerly awaiting the princely - or princessly - amount of 25 cents. I didn't wonder too much what the Tooth Fairy looked like, or why there was someone specifically assigned to this task, as opposed to a Falling Out Hair Fairy - we could all clean up with that one - most people lose a surprising amount of hair every day (which is simultaneously replaced by new strands growing in, luckily enough!), and at, say, even a dollar a strand, at the end of each week there would be a tidy sum for dinner for two at a fancy schmancy restaurant.

But I digress. Sadly, there is only a Tooth Fairy, and she is in our lives only briefly, and then disappears to reward other, younger, beneficiaries for surviving the trauma of losing a tooth.

I used to worry at a loose tooth, wiggling it around in an attempt to speed the process. I don't recall if I ever followed my brother's rather malicious advice to tie a string around the tooth, tie the other end of the string to a doorknob on an open door, and then slam the door shut, yanking the tooth out. I rather think if I had tried it, I would remember to the end of my days.

By the way, I had no doubt the Tooth Fairy was a woman, but evidently many people believe it is a man. I think the task of slipping the tooth out from under the pillow and replacing it with moolah requires a delicate touch beyond the abilities of most males, even male fairies, but who knows? I was always fast asleep and never woke up when the transfer was being made. Either I slept a lot more soundly back then, or my parents had a very delicate touch . . .

How to celebrate this holiday? (By the way, some place it in February, but that has Valentines's Day, and I, like many others, think August need the Tooth Fairy more). Well, you could prepare or purchase toothsome delicacies for a special feast (I know, stretching it). You could take special care of your choppers, flossing, picking, and brushing with more vigor and enthusiasm than you do the rest of the year. Or you could create a small shrine and leave offerings of toothpaste and mouthwash. OR if you know and like any young children, you could tell them about the Tooth Fairy, including some stories about his/her adventures, and maybe give them a Happy Tooth Fairy Day card purportedly sent to them by the Tooth Fairy him or herself, with info on taking care of teeth and a small monetary bribe to make up for the educational component.